adjective
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self-willed; obstinate
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(of an action) heedless; rash
Synonym Usage
See willful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of headstrong
First recorded in 1350–1400, headstrong is from the Middle English word heedstronge. See head, strong
Explanation
Headstrong describes something that's disobedient or willful. If you're headstrong, you want to do what you want to do. When you refuse to complete your homework because you want to watch a football game, you're being headstrong. A closer look at the word headstrong can give you a hint to its meaning — the combination of the words head and strong. You're determined to have your own way because you have a strong belief that your view — what you have in your head — is the best one. Being a headstrong person is not always a bad thing. Sometimes headstrong people make history because they fight traditional values or outdated rules that need to be changed.
Vocabulary lists containing headstrong
100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"
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Resistance is Futile: Synonyms for "Stubborn"
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Though older and a bit more modern than the iconically curious and headstrong original, she has not been updated with contemporary attitudes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Eisner said his family are "walking headstrong into this storm" to keep the Fratton Park club going after a comparatively small £4.4m loss last season.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026
We don’t yet want to say that the situation has spiraled out of control, but the spiral could be only a couple of headstrong choices away.
From Slate ● Mar. 21, 2026
Her dad looks for signs that a match may butt heads with her headstrong personality, while her brother tries to steer her away from older men.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
She lived to a ripe old age and even at the end she would frequently speak of him in conversation or tell stories about his headstrong ways to my children.
From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
